


Seven Things Layton Relearn Of Randall

by Yamiyoru



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Assistant Professor Randall, College, Dorky Randall, Gen, Gentle Layton, Layton & Randall are house mates, My idea of fluff and romance, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Professor Layton - Freeform, Randall does the chores
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-16 03:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11820387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yamiyoru/pseuds/Yamiyoru
Summary: Sort-of sequence of Taking To The Sky. Randall has taken up Layton’s offer to be his assistant and each day, he learns something about his best friend. Nothing angst-y, I promise.Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Professor Layton series,  which includes the characters, names and settings.





	Seven Things Layton Relearn Of Randall

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to write something sweet and fluffier for once.

**Seven Things Layton Relearn Of Randall**

1 - Randall is ambidextrous

Not a new observation as during their schooling years, Layton has seen his best friend switches his writing hand to a less tired one. A handy skill indeed, when one’s hand is cramping up from a 4 hours examination.

20 years later, the same skill is less amusing when he is rushing to grade the pile of essays with various degree of legible handwriting. 

_*tock tock tock*_

Layton peers over at Randall. The latter taps at the desktop absentmindedly with the pen in his right hand and the left ticks off the points the two may use in their next papers. 

_*tock tock tock*_

As much as the lecturer wants to join his friend in studying the clues, he has the task of marking to do and return his attention to the essay on his desk. The 15,000 words are intricately woven together in an argument supporting the idea of adapting Arzan’s technology to the modern society than they should not. So intricately woven it is basically just a one line scribble linking one end to the other.

By the standard of most teachers, this is a lost cause and will be given a ‘F’ right away but being the kind Professor he is, Layton does not have the heart to fail anyone. 

_*tock tock tock*_

With this atti- * _*tock*_..tude in mind, * _*tock*_.........

‘Randall.’ 

Layton looks up for the third time at his best mate, keeping his gaze on the red hair, whose eyes remain trained on linking the findings of their last expedition.

‘Hmmm?’ Randall finally acknowledges softly after a reasonable 10 second gap and lifts his head with a smile. 

‘..........’ 

‘Yes?’ 

It certainly puzzles Randall because he distinctly remembers this man telling him he needed some extra time to finish grading. And yet, the same person is wasting them, watching him with a conflicted expression, with something to say but saying nothing. He supposes it is polite to wait till Layton straightens out his thoughts.

To which, Layton coughs softly, realizing he is staring and averts his eyes in slight embarrassment. 

‘My apologies. I am thinking it is a good time for some tea. Would you like some?’

‘Oh yes. The usual, please.’ — Randall accepts the offer gratefully, feeling quite parched now that his friend mentions it. Maybe working for hours without a sip of water is not the best idea. — ‘Thanks, Hershel.’

The tired Professor is in the midst of standing up, receives another flash of smiles from his good friend. 

‘Of course. It is no trouble at all.’

Even if the ‘usual’ means another 20 minutes to boil the cinnamon and dried apple slices before sipping the tea, Layton is still delighted to do it. He can do some stretching of his sleeping legs and he has always been weak to Randall’s smiles, working to bring out one of his own as well. 

 

2 - Randall is soft spoken

Even when Randall is filled with glee, explaining a difficult puzzle animatedly, his voice remains soft and gentle. The one instant when Randall raised his voice was that one time his friend had fallen to the bitterness of revenge, which with all said left in the past, his best friend regains his former self once more. 

Much to Layton’s joy. 

Although sometimes, the professor does wonder how his old pal grew up to such. Perhaps it was Randall’s upbringing, background, in a house where he was given everything, never a need to shout. 

However, he will advise everyone to not mistaken this trait as Randall being an easy pushover because the man knows it well his best friend is far from ‘easy’. Hidden beneath the lightness is a head so stubborn and a personality so passive aggressive, a burn from dry ice pales in comparison.

It is certainly impressive to see Randall cross paths with the other senior Professors looking to play a chess of office politics, talking them into the ground, without having to change his poise in the slightest. 

Their HOD has tried asking him to speak with the Research Associate, to tone it down a little. It simply will not do for their department to be at each other’s throat; there is a image to keep and lesser reasons to be a laughing stock for the other blocks. 

Layton has little to say to the one-sided conversation, only the following: 

‘My respectable Sir, I’m afraid it is quicker to simply let him plough through than to stand in his way. He moves on very quickly.’ 

 

3 - Randall cares 

Little or much is debatable.

If it is about others’ opinions of him, Randall used to care plenty. Of his standing in his Father’s eyes, of his compatibility to Angela in her parents’ eyes and his achievements as an archaeologist was the platform in bringing the red hair closer to both goals. To speak loudly of adventures, to become famous, to travel beyond his father’s shadow. All so for the world to see him in a different light. 

At the same time, maybe become someone the richest boy in the town did not want to, which Layton will emphasize the word ‘maybe’ once more. That is because his best friend has openly abandoned those ideals and motivations, taking more interest in nurturing their students into adventurers, with a genuine maturity towards someone’s physical and emotional well being.

To be honest, Layton has no idea Randall is capable of that much, considering in their younger days, his opinions were often swiped off by the latter’s smile. And yet the once naive teenager, now a man has shown restraint, in dropping a drag off when the Professor politely declines and not push his luck.

Then, it is his best friend, who never needed to do any house work, takes unspoken initiative in sharing loads and preparing meals. The first time Layton walks into the kitchen, the scene where his house mate was making breakfast for them, it has taken the man by surprise. 

Not that it took the Professor any time to observe the other is clearly well practiced in this form of art, filling the space with the aroma of nicely buttered mushrooms. The once Young Master, now still young nonetheless, is more than a mere Master of the house. 

Perhaps he has to thank the old gentleman for his best friend’s positive changes, whom in his most troubled times has given the boy’s unconditional warmth, aid in living the rest of his life without memories. 

Those kind gestures, which of course are not forgotten, are repaid by having the elder stay with them, much in the same way he did. Taking time off to trim the moonlight hair, solving every puzzle the elder threw in his direction and going as far as making a vegetable field out of the backyard.

Despite the special care, Layton notices a lingering thought in the other’s heavily curtained, furrowed brows. It takes a while with some puzzles and a side of tea to coax the problem out. 

‘Layton, I am a old man without a wife. So naturally, I have no children, resigning myself to such and then, Randall dropped out of the heavens. He is like a son to me but I am also a poor man with no inheritance to give the boy.’ 

‘I hate to interrupt but I must emphasize not all inheritance must be in the form of wealth. If Randall is a man caring only of artificial riches, he would not have brought you here. There are things money cannot buy. He knows it. I know it and I have good reasons to believe you know it well, Sir. Might I also add, Randall too sees you as his Father.’

Feeling the sincerity in his words, the elder’s smile lightened. 

‘That I do, professor. And like a parent, I worry he is going to spend his remaining life without a partner.’

‘Oh.’ 

_That._

‘The child is turning 35. Time to start a family. Yet, he has no love interest so I have thought of introducing ladies to him but whenever the thought arises and the words sits on the tip of my tongue, a look at the boy and I give up.’

Layton agrees. 

‘Trust me, young lad, I know loneliness when I see it. As someone who walked the same path, I don’t want my son to experience the same hollow feeling that I once felt.’

He can relate.

‘I wish I can do more.’ 

Except it is not their place to intervene, even if they meant well. 

_’Randall, are you serious about breaking your engagement with Angela?’_

_’Yes.’_

_’After everything?’_

That night, in contrast to the abundant emotions in Randall’s coal black eyes, his best friend said very little. 

_’They are a good match.’_

 

4 - Randall attracts attention

From the ladies, which came hardly as a surprise, considering Randall is indeed a good looking chap, although Layton often denies this jokingly. And men alike, as his outgoing personality treats anyone like a old friend he has not met for years. 

The professor is aware of his best friend’s ability to chat up a storm since their teenage years, even with the older town folks and that lives on, in the Assistant Professor’s early years, leading to their table to be constantly filled with people. 

At lunch or dinner, they are often surrounded by students, mixed with those serious about wanting to learn more and those here for a good washing of their eyeballs.

At the bar, the red hair’s non stop talking about archeology, presented in a humorous way, turns out to be a good conversation piece, though it never lasts and gazes fall on them as the professor half drags and half carries his knocked out friend out of the bar.

It is only 8pm. 

Who knows. His best friend turns out to be a light drinker, going out like a light with only a few glasses of wine. 

 

5 - Randall invites trouble 

As naturally as ants to sugar, or in his best friend’s case, flies to a piece of uninviting meat. 

Each time, Layton has the full blown of the aftermath. In the old days, he has to face off traps, killing machines, even spiders for it to start over when he met up with Randall. 

This time, it started as a pleasant dinner, a celebration with their two colleagues for a victory over a smooth successful orientation. Then, Layton took his eyes off the man for a span of 10 minutes, to walk their female colleagues to the nearest bus stop while Randall takes care of the bill, to return to a table missing a person. 

Thankfully, the kind waitress quickly told him his friend was drank under the table by a stranger and brought to the back of the restaurant. Layton appears just in time to halt a unsavoury incident; his friend was almost taken advantage of by another ‘gentleman’. 

The aftermath is he, in his middle age, has to carry a wasted man back to their house a few streets away. 

 

6 - Randall listens

Arguably, to a certain extent. As rare as it is, Randall knows how listening works and Layton needs the man to, when the Professor has to stay in bed from a unforgiving back. 

Bringing the man’s breakfast right to the room, Randall eats his share beside him, in a stool, in awkward silence. 

_What happened last night?_

Well, something always happens with him around and Layton’s small cut on the lips is enough proof. 

_Did he pick a fight at the restaurant?_

Which is not right as everyone and he means _every single one_ person he spoke to, has told him at one point that he drops dead when drunk, not pick fights. So it is not likely he fought with the stranger and Layton took the punch for him. Randall certainly is not bruised any where. 

Ruling out a fight off, the house mate looks at his best friend once more but the professor is not saying a thing as their gaze met. 

Can he ask? Randall is not sure when his friend does look pretty unhappy. It has been a long time since he last saw Layton this annoyed. Not since he did not listen to them to give up on the expedition or when he put the little boy in life danger. Wait….do not tell him he almost killed someone last night….possibly. He always do. The question is how? How should he ask?’

‘Eh…’

‘Randall, can you get me water and some painkillers? I believe we have it in the medical kit in the kitchen.’ 

‘Sure.’

Randall promptly returns with both items and passes them to his friend quietly. When he leaves to put away the mug, Layton speaks softly, ‘and one more favor, if you are not busy today. I am supposed to meet Luke later in the day, which I am afraid I am unable to do so with my back. Can I ask you to go in my place? He needs some advice on a research material.’ 

‘No problem at all. The same cafe?’

‘Yes and thank you.’

‘Rest well.’ 

Watching the door closes, Layton lies back into the soft mattress with a sigh of relief and his back agrees blissfully. He hopes when his friend comes home tonight, he will drop the subject of yesterday or Layton is not sure how else he can divert Randall’s attention. It is fortunate enough the red hair clearly does not remember a second of it and so Layton is determined to keep it that way. 

Just thinking about the scene from last night draws his thin lips even thinner. Even though Randall will most likely laugh it off as the wine’s fault, it is not something he wants to share with his best friend. And even though the red hair, in his intoxicated state, is the ‘victim’, Layton will not speak of a word, in which his best friend was also the seducer. 

 

7 - Randall is his best friend

Since the day they met in the small town of Stansbury, the two has spent quite a lot of time together. Is it because they are close friends that they spent most of their time together? Or was it because they spent so much time together that they became best friends? 

At this point of his life, Layton cannot remember the details and it holds little relevance as long as Randall is here. He, however strongly remembers the despair when Randall’s hand slipped out of his grasp and the heartache as he walked back to the town, alone and broken. 

So on the date Randall has returned to them, Layton has make it a point each year to have a home cooked meal together to show appreciation of the moment, with him taking over the cooking for once. Which also happens to be today and although it is like any other school day but using the same two legs, his steps are lighter as he climbs to their floor. 

Turning the corner, Layton sees a lady waiting patiently outside their room. From the long distance, the professor is still able to make out a familiar silhouette. It is not so much for the blond hair, red blouse and brown skirt but more of the way she clutches her bag to her side and the way she stands. 

‘Dariya. How have you been?’ 

Opening his arms, Layton welcomes her unannounced visit and the more mature reporter returns it. 

‘Well, Layton. Well.’

Through the years of working her way up the ranks and finally getting promoted to the position as Head Editor of World Times, Layton and Dariya have formed a pretty close relationship. More than acquaintances, slightly less than friends, clamped filled with a lot of business in the middle. Perhaps she has came to verify the facts in the article her new trainee freshly wrote.

‘What brings you here?’

‘Actually, I have a letter for you.’ 

Or Layton can be wrong. The famous Professor does not know _everything_.

Flipping the cover of her handbag, she produces a sweet pink envelope from the depths of it and passes it over. 

‘Here. I’m sure you know who it is from.’ 

Not only is it the colour of a light blush, it has a rose hand drawn onto the outside in water paint. So yes, Layton does have a idea where it has came from, or specifically—who. 

‘Thank you. I am sorry for the constant trouble. How is he?’

‘The same as always. Taking the sky to wherever he pleases.’ 

‘That does sound like him.’

‘Indeed. And as a bonus for the previous article, I will share with you a tip off.’

Crooking her finger, she motions Layton to come closer as she lean in herself to speak none the softer, ‘he’s in town tonight. If you wish to get together for dinner, at 6 O'Clock of the Big Ben, 15 streets west is where he stands and 15 steps backwards is when he sits.’

‘Dariya dear, tell me how are you always able to grasp the location of a unreachable man? And to the last details.’ 

‘Call it a woman’s intuition.’ 

An unfathomable puzzle.

‘Don’t forget. It is tonight.’ The reporter chimes and places a chaste peck on his cheek in place of a goodbye as a wind brushes from behind him and slips into the room. Layton can feel the grin on the shadow. He is in for a round of teasing later. 

At his insistence, he walks her to the gate and when he returns, the red hair is gone with a stick note on his lantern reading : ‘Dear Chum, a date huh? Do not worry, I will get everything ready.’ 

And by ‘ready’, Layton steps into their shared space hours later, to find the table set and the food ready, ingredients were courtesy of the groceries he made for their annual celebration. Adding to the ambience are new candles and rose petals across the room. 

Shaking his head in amusement, Layton can only say, ‘this is quite the misunderstanding.’

...

Fortunately for him, patience is his best trait and of course, Randall has to return home at some point. At the stunning 10 hours of a quiet night, he hears the click of a keyhole unlocking and a white coat pushes past the door momentarily. 

‘Just in time, Randall. The soup and roasted chicken should be nicely warmed now. Would you like the red or the new sweet wine I have acquired days ago?’ 

The red hair looks positively puzzled and takes a second to recover, his energetic mouth going, ‘where’s your date?’ 

‘There is no date.’ 

Randall’s thin eyebrow raise at the reply and still not believing him, he looks around the living room, which in Layton’s opinion, should be obvious enough that there is no space to hide the lady if he wanted to.

‘But I heard Dariya asked you out.’ 

‘‘I am afraid you are mistaken.’ 

‘And she gave you a kiss.’

‘A peck on the cheek, really.’ 

Layton chuckles softly at Randall’s reasoning. If a peck on the cheek is to mean anything, he is most certainly in more ways of a criminal, with a little girl no doubt, than having any charisma with the ladies. 

Such a brilliant mind in navigating through the works of puzzles and yet, his best friend is so blatantly oblivious to anything beside it. That, which he might add, is in fact, quite endearing and Layton smiles brightly at Randall.

‘Come on. I will explain over dinner.’ the man urges as he lace his arm around the smaller man’s shoulder and takes notice of how cold Randall is. Ticking off the possibilities in his mind, there is only one way for the warm, thick clothes to turn this chilly. 

‘Were you wandering the streets the whole night?’ 

‘Well…you must admit it will be awkward if I come home before you know…It wouldn’t be right.’ Randall answers sheepishly and shifts his eyes away to a corner of the house. 

‘I am most scandalized by that thought. A gentleman should always be mindful there is a place, time and date for everything.’

Rubbing his old friend’s arms affectionately, Layton hopes it helps to warm the man up and remembers to remind him one thing. 

‘Especially not in a house where my best friend lives. I will never do that to you.’ 

Guiding themselves into the kitchen, Layton welcomes the smell of the soup steaming nicely in the pot.

‘Now that you are finally home, I hope you are hungry as I am quite famished, _old_ chum.’

**Author's Note:**

> This is supposed to be about Layton and Randall’s everyday but I’m not sure if I got it but what is certain is writing ‘happy’, ‘fluff’ and ‘puzzles’ are beyond me.
> 
> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Drop me a comment if you like the story as I have fun writing how sweet and gentle Layton and Randall can be with each other (although Randall made Layton do all the work in the game).


End file.
